Posts Tagged ‘Short’

Photographer Ryan Earl and filmmaker Nick Arcivos of AmnesiArt recently created an extremely impressive cinematic short film. Impressive not only because the shots were gorgeous, well-planned, and well-executed… but also because the entire thing was shot on an iPhone X.

The film is called ‘Made in Paris’, and it’s a cinematic portrait of Elise Lepinteur, protégée of world-famous pastry chef Christophe Adam.

It was shot and edited over the course of four days, but unlike Matteo Bertoli’s recent 4K iPhone X short film, Nick didn’t shy away from using a little bit of gear to help take the shots to the next level.

“We produced and edited this short piece in only 4 days with the help of Gitzo monopods, a DJI Osmo Mobile gimbal and a Zhiyun Smooth Q gimbal,” he tells DPReview. “For the macro shots, we used iPro Lenses by Schneider Optics. The audio was recorded with a Rode Lavalier Mic, Rode NTG3 Shotgun and a Zoom H4N, and we also used a Marsace MT-01 table tripod and a cheap Andoer mini dolly.”

For lighting, Nick tells us they used three LED lights: a Litepanels MicroPro, a Yongnuo YN300 Air Pro, and a Litepanels Astra 1×1. For the interview, they only used the MicroPro and the Astra 1×1.

Here are a few behind the scenes photos that Nick shared with us, showing how some of the shots in the film above were captured:

As for how the phone performed, Nick and Ryan were seriously impressed:

We were blown away by the quality of the OLED screen, its size is perfect for monitoring the shoot. Results are even better than last year iPhone 7, colors are more vibrant, and we found the dynamic range was improved.

Apple also finally provided the option of shooting 24 FPS in the Camera app. Before, we had to essentially rely on Filmic Pro, so this time we only used it for the fridge and flour (slo-mo) shots. It was the only way for us to monitor and start recording with the Filmic Remote app.

Does the final footage match what you could capture with a more serious video camera like the Panasonic GH5 or a cinema monster like the Arri Alexa? No, definitely not. But Nick and Ryan summed up our thoughts well when they said, “when we look at the results, even for us as pro filmmakers, it is hard to believe it was shot on a smartphone.”

Check out the full video up top, scroll through some beautiful screen grabs below, and then visit the AmnesiArt website and YouTube Channel for even more filmmaking goodness to inspire you this Friday afternoon.

Sports shooters considering Sony’s speedy a9 have one major hurdle to overcome: glass. There’s a dearth of long, fast primes available to Sony FE shooters, and it seems like using off-brand glass while you wait for Sony to catch up just isn’t a great option.

In this video, photographer Dan Watson of Learning Cameras tried both the Sigma MC-11 and Metabones Mark IV lens adapters to test how well the a9 worked when attached to the Canon EF 300mm F2.8L IS II USM and Canon EF 400mm F2.8L IS II USM.

Watson mainly wanted to test the focusing capabilities, and unfortunately, the results were somewhat disappointing.

Before you dive into the video, it’s worth pointing a few things out. Our own Rishi Sanyal has tested the focus capability of the a9 with adapted lens, and points out a couple of caveats to Watson’s otherwise solid points:

First, the performance of far off-center AF points depends on the lens. While Watson is correct in pointing out that they don’t perform well with long lenses (despite working astonishingly fast with Sony’s own 100-400 F4.5-5.6), they do work well with shorter focal lengths (we’ve had success with a Sigma 85/1.4, Canon 35/1.4, 24-70/2.8, etc.). With these wider lenses, ‘Wide’ area mode will continue tracking subjects to the extremes of the frame.

Second, Sony A-mount lenses adapted with the LA-EA3 adapter do shoot at an impressive 10 fps with autofocus, something we confirmed with the 50/1.4 (as long as you’ve updated the firmware of the adapter).* With the Metabones and Sigma adapters though, as with all Sony FE bodies, only the L drive mode offers continuous focus. And it’s actually only 2.5 fps, not the 5 fps Watson mentions (technically L is 3 fps, but it slows to 2-3 fps with continuous focus).

With that out of the way, Watson’s video is a great resource for seeing how well (or not) the a9 performs when attached to the long, fast Canon primes sports shooters love. And while single-shot focus with central points is speedy and almost 100% accurate with long adapted lenses, the lack of true subject tracking (Lock-on AF modes) or continuous focus at speeds higher than ~2.5 fps (or in video) will probably be a deal breaker for many fast-action photographers.

Once you’ve lost the impressive high speed shooting advantages Sony baked into the a9, you might as well be shooting with any other camera. Moral of the story: stick to Sony glass and hope they keep churning out new lenses at break-neck pace.

You can watch the full demo for yourself up top. And if you’re considering jumping ship from Canon to Sony, keep this information in mind – like all previous Sony bodies, you’ll only have access to the a9’s slowest continuous drive mode when you’re adapting your own glass.

*We’ve not yet confirmed the performance of off-center points with long A-mount glass.

The shutter speed is probably the factor which has the greatest impact on an image. By adjusting the exposure time by only a few stops, you’re able to completely change the appearance of an image. But what exposure time is best for landscape photography? Should you use a long exposure or should you work with shorter ones? When will adjusting the shutter speed have the greatest impact?

In this article, I’ll share three case studies where I compare how adjusting the shutter speed has impacted the final images. I don’t believe that either is better than the other (in each case) but it’s important that you’re aware of the differences so it becomes easier to convey the story or emotions you desire.

What is a Long Exposure?

I’ve had many discussions with fellow photographers regarding the exact definition of Long Exposure. At first thought, most consider a long exposure to be an image where the clouds are dragged across the sky or moving water looks like silk or ice. However, this is judging solely based on the visual aspect of the image. Is it not still considered a long exposure if you don’t see its effect? Wouldn’t a 20-second exposure be 20 seconds no matter what?

The definition most of my photography friends have agreed upon is that a long exposure begins when you can’t take a sharp image handheld. Normally, this is at about 1/50th of a second with a wide angle lens.

Using a tripod makes it possible to have a longer exposure.

Case Study #1 – Waterfalls

Waterfalls are often ideal to start experimenting with long exposures. Since the water is moving quickly, you don’t need an extremely long exposure just to capture some motion. In fact, you’ll need a very quick shutter speed to avoid capturing any motion at all.

The choice of shutter speed has an extremely high impact on the image. You might not even need a filter to begin capturing the motion of water in your shots. However, I find waterfalls to be tricky to photograph at times because of this. The different shutter speeds have such a big impact that the entire mood (and story you tell) of your image quickly changes. So, consider what you wish to convey.

If it’s a huge waterfall with a lot of power you might want to use a quick shutter speed to capture its raw power and beauty. While a smaller waterfall might be more appealing when you use a slow shutter speed (long exposure). Experimentation is always the key when working with shutter speeds.

Rjukandefossen, Norway 1/5th of a second shutter speed.

For the image above, I chose to use a shutter speed slow enough to require the use of a tripod but not so long that the water would become completely blurred. The textures in the water help build the overall atmosphere of the image and it compliments the rawness. By keeping some texture in the water, I’ve also strengthened the composition. When a longer shutter speed was used (see below), many of the lines in the foreground were lost and the flow wasn’t as natural anymore.

Rjukandefossen, Norway 20-second exposure.

When lengthening the exposure time to 20-seconds, the image lost a lot of its raw and natural feel, which was what I wanted to convey. Now, the image has an unnatural appearance and even though it’s still visually pleasing, it’s not as interesting anymore.

A long shutter speed wasn’t ideal since the river was flowing so quickly. Had the water been slower, a 20-second exposure might have done a better job. So, when photographing a waterfall make sure that you keep in mind how quickly the water is flowing, as this will have a great impact on your choice of shutter speed.

Had I used a faster shutter speed than on the first image (for example 1/500th) the image would have a different impact yet again. Such a quick shutter speed would freeze most of the water and remove the sense of motion shown in the first image. Instead, there would have been a lot of texture in the water but no movement to compliment it. That would have resulted in a messy and, again, less appealing image.

Case Study #2 – Seascapes

When working with images that have more than one moving element (for example the sky and the water), you’ve got multiple factors to consider when choosing a shutter speed. Not only will the choice of shutter speed determine how the sky appears but it’s also crucial for the appearance of the water. In fact, since the water is what’s moving the quickest, that is where you’ll see the biggest difference (just as with the waterfalls).

For the image above, I used a shutter speed of 0.6 seconds. In the grand picture of long exposures this is still a relatively short shutter speed, and for some, it doesn’t even qualify as a long exposure. However, despite the shutter speed being only 0.6 seconds, there’s quite a lot of motion in the image. Since the waves were coming in fast the camera was able to register a significant amount of motion within that short time.

Personally, I’m a big fan of exposures between 0.5 seconds to 1.5 seconds when photographing seascapes (especially when using a low perspective like this). The shutter speed is long enough to capture the motion but it’s also fast enough that there’s still a lot of texture in the water. The lines that come as a result of the slow shutter speed do a significant job in improving the composition.

In the second image, I increased the exposure time to 30 seconds, allowing the camera to register motion for a longer period of time. As you can see, the texture that was the previous image is lost and the water has completely changed its appearance. Now it looks more like ice, or some sort of solid state.

However, the clouds are also considerably different than in the first seascape. By using a 30-second exposure the camera has also registered motion in the clouds, resulting in a more dynamic sky. When the clouds are dragged across the sky, such as above, you’ve got an extra factor to consider for your composition. In this scenario, the clouds are moving towards the horizon, creating a series of extra lines that help lead your eye through the image. Often this can be a great advantage.

I don’t believe that one is necessarily better than the other but, again, it’s important to understand how the choice of shutter speed (exposure time) will impact the image. When working with a slow shutter speed you’re introduced to several new factors (such as the helpful leading lines in the sky) and being aware of them will make the process of learning long exposure photography easier.

Case Study #3 – Generic Landscape

Once you remove the second element of motion, the choice of shutter speed becomes somewhat less crucial. Still, there will be a big difference between a 30-second exposure and a 1-second exposure if you’ve got some movement in the clouds. But the difference between a 0.5 second and 5-second exposure is less significant for a generic landscape and a seascape or waterfall photo.

It’s not uncommon for me to see someone using an ND Filter when photographing a mountain on a cloudless day. This is very common when first using filters, as you want to use them all the time. However, a 2-minute exposure won’t look any different than a 1/100th of a second exposure when there aren’t any moving elements in the image. After all, an ND filter doesn’t create motion, it registers it.

The image above is a typical example of when a long exposure wouldn’t make a big difference. I used a 1/5th second exposure time for this particular image but had I used a 30-second exposure with filters instead, it still would have looked more or less the same. Simply put, it wouldn’t have been beneficial to use a long exposure on this scene.

It isn’t until you’ve got at least one moving element that the true power of a long exposure photography appears (remember, this can be something as simple as grass moving in the wind). In the image below, you see the same scene but this time with clouds in the sky. The shutter speed I used for this image was 1/15th of a second, which means that I wasn’t able to capture any motion – yet.

Once clouds had appeared and there was one element of movement in the frame, a long exposure would have an impact on the image. Since the clouds were moving I was able to capture the motion and, again, create a more dynamic image.

For the image above I increased the exposure time to 30-seconds. By increasing it that much you can clearly see how the sky has changed and how the overall mood of the image has changed along with it. Unfortunately, the clouds were moving sideways. Had the clouds moved towards or away from me, the image would have greatly benefited from a long exposure and taken advantage of the leading lines that would have helped to lead the eyes towards the structure. Since the clouds were moving sideways, the extra leading lines in the image aren’t as helpful, even though they look nice.

Summary and Conclusion

After reading this article I hope you have a better understanding of how the shutter speed will affect an image and when increasing or decreasing it will be beneficial. There’s no “correct” way of doing it, and in the end, which image you prefer depends on what you’re looking for in your image. However, as I’ve mentioned multiple times, it’s extremely important that you understand how a longer or shorter shutter speed will impact the image. By understanding this, you’ll be able to save a lot of time in the field and ultimately create better images.

Remember, a slower shutter speed can affect the appearance of an image when there’s more than one moving element within the frame. A slow shutter speed is not going to make a difference when there are no moving elements.

The post How a Short Versus Long Exposure Will Affect Your Landscape Images by Christian Hoiberg appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Sony Mobile has released the first super-slow-motion short movie that has been completely recorded on a smartphone. All of the movie’s scenes were recorded by 120 amateur videographers from 21 countries on the Tróia peninsula near Lisbon, Portugal. The footage was shot under the direction of award-winning director Chris Cairns and using the new Motion Eye mode of the Sony Xperia XZ Premium smartphone that is capable of capturing moving images at 960 frames per second.

I was on my stomach in the grassy tundra of the coastal plain of Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In front of me, some 10 meters away, a Pomerine Jaeger sat relaxed on the tundra. 50 meters beyond it, a small band of caribou, some 20 animals, grazed slowly across the landscape. The light was hot and bright, not ideal, but there was a story to be told here. The bird had flown in with the herd, as did two or three other Jaegers which still cruised about over the caribou. They were not interested in the caribou themselves, but Jaegers prey on small mammals which are kicked up by the hooves of the migrating caribou.

In my image, I wanted to show that relationship so a long lens zoomed in tight, was not going to tell that story. I pulled back, composing so that the caribou were visible beyond the bird, almost lost in the heat waves coming off the summer tundra (above).

Often, you don’t need a lens as long as your leg to tell the wildlife story that matters. Huge telephotos are sexy, don’t get me wrong, I love my 500mm f/4 and drool regularly over other long glass in online camera catalogs. That said, long lenses can be extremely limiting. They help you get close, but close isn’t always what you need to tell a good wildlife story, in fact, it’s often counter-productive.

Telephoto lenses are key in wildlife photography – or not?

There is a myth, prevalent among wildlife photography enthusiasts, that an effective image is a close image. Headshots or tight, full-body portraits, with perfectly clean backgrounds are the formula for good images… or, not.

While there is a place for wildlife portraiture, that style leaves out one very important element; the story. To include the story, you’ve got to have context. To get context you need to back off. Like my Jaeger on the tundra, the location and the environment matter. To tell the story within the image, it’s ALL that matters.

Rather than give a bulleted list of tips, I thought it might be more illustrative to show you a few images that I think tell an effective story, something less superficial than a portrait. (As a side note, you can use your beloved super-telephoto to make these types of images, you just need to make sure your composition reflects the context. So go crazy, spend your kid’s college tuition on that lens, just be sure to use it judiciously.

Gentoo Penguin, South Georgia Island

I was guiding on an expedition cruise to Antarctica and South Georgia Island a few years back and spent some time with a group of nesting Gentoo Penguins high on a ridge above a protected bay on South Georgia. I’d been using my 500mm to make some headshots, but realized that wasn’t getting at the core of the story.

This was a unique place to nest, these birds were waddling more than a half mile and 500 vertical feet to get to their rocky nests high on the hillside. THAT was the story, the context. So I slapped on a wide angle zoom and composed with the penguins in the foreground and the blue water of the South Atlantic in the background. The weather and fog only add to the sense of place. When one Gentoo raised its bill to call, I snapped the image above.

Skua, South Georgia Island

Showing context doesn’t necessarily mean being distant. As I was working on photographing the penguins in the previous image, a Skua, an opportunistic predator that snatches eggs and chicks from careless penguin parents, appeared. It landed nearby, so I lay down flat on my stomach (trying not to think of the reddish brown penguin poop that covered the hillside) and waited. The curious bird, perhaps wondering if I was about to expire and provide an unexpected meal, approached.

The curious bird, perhaps wondering if I was about to expire and provide an unexpected meal, approached. Eventually, it leaned forward and almost pecked the glass on the front of my lens. As it did, I composed to include a pair of nesting penguins in the background and clicked the shutter. Curious predator, wary prey, and interaction are all wrapped up nicely in the resulting photo.

Sandhill Cranes, Fairbanks, Alaska

If there is one thing that matters to Sandhill Cranes on migration, it’s having company. On their way south, these birds congregate in huge flocks at stopover locations where they refuel for the next stage. Many eyes mean a better chance of avoiding predators. While in flight, their long V-shaped flocks provide extra lift to each of the birds in line. In other words, for an image to show the real nature of a Sandhill Crane in migration, it’s got to show more than one.

In this case, I was out shooting in the early morning hours at Creamer’s Field State Game Refuge, not far from my home in Fairbanks. It was a foggy morning and the huge flocks of cranes and geese were restless. They kept lifting off in groups of a hundred or so, before settling again. This image shows how they gather, and a bit of the habitat. To me, it screams of migration.

Caribou, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

I was camped with a couple of clients on a photo tour a stone’s throw from the Arctic Ocean on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. We’d been concentrating our photographic efforts to the late night hours when the arctic light was low and sweet. So I was fast asleep when around midday, I was woken by a distant splashing. Curious, I clambered from my tent and looked out over the river to the south of our camp. Hundreds, no, thousands, of caribou were crossing the river a few hundred yards from our camp.

I grabbed a camera and ran down to join my clients who were standing, watching, and photographing. It took three or four hours for all the caribou to pass. With the last few bands of animals, the light finally improved, and I was able to make this image. The caribou moving across the coastal plain with the distant Brooks Range in the background tells something of the animals, as well as a story about the Refuge itself.

King Penguin, South Georgia Island

Early in the morning, I landed in a zodiac on the shore of Saint Andrews Bay on South Georgia Island. I’d skipped breakfast to make the early morning landing. The storms that had plagued our trip to that point were holding off for the moment. But a bruised sky lay to the south, threatening more weather to come.

While everyone else scurried off to the main penguin colony a quarter mile away, I lingered around the landing area to make a few images. I concentrated on this single King Penguin, who was standing alone on the beach with a few resting Giant Petrels and fur seals. My favorite of the resulting images, this one, reminds me of a museum display, more than an isolated individual, it says something about the ecosystem the penguin shares. And the soft sunlight and purple sky help set the stage about the storm-battered Southern Ocean.

Composition Techniques

Brown Bears living in southeast Alaska spend a lot of time wandering beaches where it’s easy to walk and foraging is productive. In this image, my group and I spotted this bear walking toward us down the beach. I wanted to show some of that context, the forest in the background, the gravel shore, and the water’s edge are all important parts of this bear’s life.

Creating images of wildlife in context is a more of a creative than a technical discipline. As I think about it, it’s really more like landscape photography than anything else. There are many articles here on dPS about camera settings, exposure, and sharpness, so I won’t trouble you with you that. But I do want to take a moment to talk about composition.

As I noted, these images are often similar to landscapes. The setting is just as important as the animal you are photographing. Consider the balance of the image, and the aspect of the life of the critter you are trying to show. Do you want your animal to appear as a just another part of its world, or the dominant part? Both can work.

Below are a few images of bears. All show some context, but in some, the bear is the unquestionable subject, while in others the animal is part of the landscape. Neither composition strategy is right, nor wrong. Rather, it depends on your goals for the image and its ultimate use. Most of these images have sold for publication, and editors have selected them for different reasons. But in every case, the context and setting were the selling points.

This Brown Bear in Katmai National Park was grazing peacefully in this sedge meadow. In this case, I wanted to show the bear in a larger setting, so I pulled back, showing the mountain in the background and the vast, green tundra.

This is the same bear as the previous image. I made this image just moments after the one above, when the bear, curious at our appearance across the river, rose to give us a look. The composition still shows her in the meadow, the flowers, the sedges, the tundra hill in the background, but she is suddenly, very clearly the subject.

This aerial image of a Brown Bear searching for clams on a muddy shore in Katmai National Park, Alaska is an extreme example of wildlife in context. Yet, it tells a story. Coastal bears in Katmai spend a lot of time digging clams. It’s a lot of work, there is an enormous amount of ground to cover. This image is effective at telling that story.

Small in the frame, yet clearly the subject, I photographed this Brown Bear walking along the shore of a river.

Final Note

This is not “spray and pray” photography. Unlike birds in flight, or other fast moving subjects where you shoot a rapid burst of images in the hopes that one will end up sharp and pleasing, showing animals in their environment is more of a mind-game. Spend time composing. Consider the wildlife, their ecology, and place in their environment. Play with the balance of elements in the image, the focal length, and depth of field. Only then, once you’ve weighed your options, should you start shooting.

When photographing wildlife, by all means, make some clean, close-up shots, but don’t stop there. Think deeper about the story at hand, about the environment in which the animal lives, and its relationship to it. Don’t be afraid to go wide, or ease back that zoom.

Are you a wildlife photographer? Have you tried making this type of image? If so, please share your stories and images in the comments below.

The post Wildlife in Context – The Short Lens Approach to Wildlife Photography by David Shaw appeared first on Digital Photography School.

2017 Sony World Photography Awards shortlist announced

Alex Andriesi, Romania,

Shortlist, Open, Enhanced, 2017 Sony World Photography Awards

The World Photography Organisation has announced the shortlisted photographers for what it claims is the world’s largest photography competition – the Sony World Photography Awards. The WPO says that it received 227,596 images in total across categories for amateurs, professionals and students. Photographers from 60 countries are represented among the shortlisted and commended photographs, while entries from 183 countries were submitted.

Professional photographers are competing for the top prize of $ 25,000 plus Sony digital camera equipment, while the best amateur entry will win $ 5000 plus Sony kit and the best student will collect €30,000 of Sony equipment for his or her educational establishment. The overall and category winners will be announced at a ceremony in London in the 20th April and an exhibition of the winning images will be displayed at London’s Somerset House. Martin Parr has been announced as the winner of the Outstanding Contribution to Photography Prize and will be exhibiting alongside the winners, as well as holding a talk. For more information, and to see a gallery of all the shortlisted and commended images, visit the World Photography Organisation website.

Press Release

Shortlist revealed for 2017 Sony World Photography Awards, the world’s largest photography competition

Winning and shortlisted images to be exhibited in London April 21 – May 7, 2017

Celebrating its 10th year anniversary, the Sony World Photography Awards is the world’s largest photography competition. The awards recognize and reward the finest contemporary photography from the last year entered into any of the awards’ four competitions.

“There was a truly global reach to the Sony World Photography Awards judging this year- the images were more diverse and broad ranging than I have ever seen before. In its tenth year, I can confidently say that the Sony World Photography Awards and the fine art of photography are doing extremely well.” Zelda Cheatle, Chair of the Professional jury / Curator (UK)

February 28, 2017: The shortlisted (top 10) and commended (top 50) photographers for all categories of the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards, the world’s largest photography competition, are announced today. Photographers entered 227,596 images across the awards’ Professional, Open and Youth competitions – shining a spotlight on the medium of photography and the beauty of its art.

Produced by the World Photography Organisation, 2017 marks the 10th anniversary of the awards and a decade-long partnership with its headline sponsor, Sony.

The Sony World Photography Awards’ shortlist represents the world’s finest contemporary photography captured over the last year, and displays a huge diversity of extraordinary images in terms of genres, styles and subject matter. Forty-nine countries are represented on the shortlist, reinforcing the awards’ international appeal and unique ability to present the greatest images taken by photographers from all corners of the world on a truly global scale. Photographers from a further 11 countries are seen within the commended list.

The shortlisted photographers across the Professional, Open, Youth and Student Focus competitions impressed the judges with solid narratives and strong visual language complementing the subject matters. Within the shortlist are stunning architectural images and subtle landscapes alongside extraordinary series depicting the dominating world events of the last year. Stand out subject matters include a touching insight into the domestic life of women in Saudi Arabia, heartfelt confessions of Chinese school children, Russian body builders preparing to flex muscle on stage and an intimate series of a private battle with a rare medical condition.

Professional competition saw a 13 % increase in the number of photographers entering their work.

183 countries were represented in the submissions – with the most entries coming from (in descending order): China, United Kingdom, Italy, United States, Germany, Russia, India, Spain, France and Poland.

49 countries are represented on the shortlist, with the most shortlisted photographers coming from Italy (22), Germany (17), UK (15), China (14) and Russia (11)

Armenia, Cuba, Iceland and Saudi Arabia represented for the first time on the shortlist.

To view the commended photographers of the Open competition please go to www.worldphoto.org/winners-galleries

Commenting about this year’s shortlist, Scott Gray, CEO, World Photography Organisation, notes: “This year, more than any other, the entries to the Sony World Photography Awards have shown great integrity and are characterized by their considered approach. Beautiful works of photographic art, not snapshots, have been presented to the judges and I am delighted to see that our esteemed juries have chosen to reward the pure skill, artistic interpretation and thoughtfulness of the photographer, rather than simply the subject matter the photographer has captured.

He continues: “The Sony World Photography Awards has celebrated photographers and photography throughout its ten-year history, we now look forward to ensuring that photography has a global platform and is recognised as the dynamic, exciting and accessible medium it is.”

The Sony World Photography Awards are judged anonymously by internationally acclaimed industry professionals, carefully selected by the World Photography Organisation.

Commenting on the Open and Youth shortlists, Damien Demolder said: “It has been a pleasure and an inspiration to be exposed to such a volume of great work, and a privilege too that I could share in the personal moments, the joys, tears, life and losses of photographers from all around the globe who recorded their experiences through their pictures. The Youth competition was a special delight to judge and I was touched on many occasions by the openness and fearless expression of the entries.”

Student Focus judge Andrea Kurland adds: “This year’s shortlist helps cement why awards like these are more important than ever. The work submitted was original, thoughtful and brave – a healthy reminder that talent will always win out and rise above the noise.”

The shortlisted photographers now compete for the latest Sony digital imaging equipment and inclusion in the 2017 awards’ book plus cash prizes of $ 25,000 (USD) for the Photographer of the Year, $ 5,000 (USD) for the overall Open winner and €30,000 (Euros) of equipment for the university of the Student Focus winner. All winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on April 20, 2017.

The winning, shortlisted and commended images will all be exhibited as part of the Sony World Photography Awards & Martin Parr – 2017 Exhibition at Somerset House, London. The large-scale exhibition will open April 21 and will feature rarely seen work by Martin Parr, recipient of the awards’ Outstanding Contribution to Photography prize. The exhibition will run in London until May 7 and will then go on a worldwide tour. Exhibition tickets are available via www.worldphoto.org/2017exhibition

NOTES

227,596 images were submitted to the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards across all competitions

Professional competition: 110,270 entries

Open competition: 105,692 entries

Youth: 11,634 entries

Sony World Photography Awards forthcoming announcementsMarch 28, 2017 – Open and National Award winners announcedApril 20, 2017 – Photographer of the Year plus Professional category winners and Open, Youth and Student Focus Photographers of the Year revealed at ceremony held in LondonApril 21 – May 7, 2017 – Sony World Photography Awards & Martin Parr – 2017 Exhibition at Somerset House, London

SHORTLISTED PHOTOGRAPHERS

PROFESSIONAL CATEGORIESRewarding the best body of work across 10 categories. Up to 10 photographers shortlisted in each category. Category winners will be announced April 20, alongside the Photographer of the Year chosen from the ten category winners.

OPEN CATEGORIESRewarding the best single images across 10 categories. Up to 10 photographers shortlisted in each category. Category winners will be announced March 28, and Open Photographer of the Year revealed April 20.

FURTHER NOTESThe Professional competition of the Sony World Photography Awards is judged by an independent panel of industry experts selected by the World Photography Organisation. The headline sponsor of the awards, Sony, is not involved in the image selection of judging of this competition.

For any creative photographer, shooting behind the scenes of a short film sounds like a boring idea. That’s what I thought until my friend called me to shoot for one of his school projects (he is in a film school and had to shoot three sequences). I wasn’t going to refuse so I showed up that day and little did I know, I ended up learning so many things and got to meet a lot of people. The best part is that I took some of the best images since I first picked up my camera.

Here are some reasons why you should consider shooting behind the scenes images and how it can benefit your photography:

#1 – It’s an opportunity for a photoshoot

During a shoot for a short film, most of the actors are used to modeling and aren’t afraid of a camera. There is a director of photography who works on the lighting, and there is a make-up artist (of course there are more people on set who take care of the sound, costumes, assistant, etc.). A short film is basically a photo shoot but instead of taking images, people act and they are being filmed.

Actors have their costumes, they have had their hair and make-up done, and the director of photography just did the entire lighting for you. You have to see it as an advantage because they spend weeks planning and you’re just here to take beautiful photos with perfect conditions. I took my most beautiful images during short films and I would not have had been able to reproduce the scenes, costumes, and ambience on my own.

Even if you don’t really like the theme or would rather plan a photoshoot on your own, trying other people’s ideas can also put you out of your comfort zone and help you progress.

#2 – You’re surrounded with creatives

Working with other creatives has helped me so much. The best thing is the shared interest and not wanting to disappoint. Working with people who want to create gives you an extra boost and it pushes you to do your best. Most people on a film crew need these images. Looking at all the work they put into creating their projects, whether it’s for auditions to find the perfect actors, negotiating to borrow super expensive filming equipment, let’s not forget the make-up artists who stay on set all day, and all the detailed planning of the sequences. You can’t really disappoint with average images, so you automatically try to get stunner shots.

It’s quite difficult because you can only take images after the scenes when the actors are briefed by the film director. So they’re not actually posing for you, you just have to walk around without attracting any attention to get some nice images. Do not take any images when the video camera is rolling. The sound of your shutter can throw a whole scene away, and trust me you do not want to be in that situation. Just patiently wait for the director to say cut and then you can start taking your images.

When an actor is not included in a scene, you can kindly ask them to pose for you. Most of them need portraits for their website or their portfolios so they will most likely say yes. If they say no, just tell them that if they change their minds, you’re always fine with taking portraits.

#3 – You may get to work with these people on future projects

A whole day of filming can take up to eight hours or more. You’re going to meet a lot of people (depending on the size of the crew) and you will have a lot of time to get to know everyone. I would highly recommend socializing during the breaks over a cup of coffee and getting to know everyone. Most of them have the same passion as you, whether it’s the assistant or the sound team, you can speak about previous or future projects, have tech discussions about camera gear, you name it.

The actors are the most talkative, especially when they have a few hours without any scenes. Tell them about your photography. If you like their profile ask them if they would like to have a photoshoot with you in the coming weeks. The make-up artists are also great contacts to have, take their business card and contact them for your next photo shoot if you need someone for make-up and hair.

One make-up artist I met had a little girl who wanted to start modeling. We met a couple weeks later and I photographed her daughter. I ended up having a solid image that went directly into my portfolio.

Get your images ready to show them quickly

One tip I can give is to work on the images as soon as possible. Once these people see your images they will start spreading the word to other people in their school or entourage, share your images on social media, etc. (that is of course if you had good results). You will probably end up being Facebook friends with most of the crew and you can keep in contact that way.

Most of them will post on Facebook or directly contact you if they need a photographer. Once you do a good job, they will most likely call you back. Their friends will start calling you then you will meet other actors and make-up artists, and increase your contacts even more.

#4 – You will learn a lot of technical things

Most film crews use a lot of advanced equipment. By watching them set up everything, you will learn a lot about cameras, the choice of lenses, framing, lighting, sound, communication with actors, team work, tracking shots, and organization. Even if you’re passive in this process, open your eyes and try to absorb as much information as you can.

Most directors of photography will use different lighting techniques with some hair light, key light, harsh light, soft light, back-light with different modifiers. Pay attention to their work and try to replicate what you see later at home, you can also take images of the light set up to know exactly how each light is placed on set.

Conclusion

Those are just a few ways you can benefit from shooting behind the scenes on a film set. If you’ve had the experience of doing this, please share your thoughts and images in the comments below.

Curling up with a glass of wine with a story has never been easier thanks to Librottiglia, a project that wraps printed pages around bottles of Italian reds and whites.

Each wine is paired with a specifically selected literary short intended to match the characteristics of the vintage with an appropriate genre and narrative. Drinkers are encouraged to pour a glass then pour over the pages of a unique tale.

Designed by Reverse Innovation for the Matteo Correggia winery in Italy, each 375-ML bottle is good for two glasses and an absorbing literary adventure. The covers in each case double as both book titles as well as wine labels and descriptions.

A piece of twine wraps the book to each bottle while the words themselves are printed on a thick paper stock to round out the stylized packaging. Stories include The Frog in the Belly, I Love You Forget Me and others by journalists, humorists and mystery writers.

“Today we read books on computers, tablets and mobile phones,” note the creators. “Why not on a bottle of wine?” they ask. “After years of discussion about analogue vs. digital, we want to propose an alternative: oenological” (meaning: related to the cultivation and study of wine).

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Sony has announced that its a99 ll full-frame SLT camera will go on sale on November 25th as expected, but it will not be able to supply nearly enough to meet demand straight away. The company has issued a statement saying that domestic demand has ‘significantly’ exceeded the Japanese company’s sales plans and that customers should expect some delay in the delivery of ordered cameras.

The 42MP camera offers a top shooting rate of 12 fps and features a combined phase detection and contrast detection AF system that the company says provides speed, accuracy and improved tracking. The camera was the surprise launch of Photokina this year, as many assumed Sony had abandoned its SLT cameras in favor of the more popular mirrorless models.

It seems even Sony has been caught off-guard by the demand of the a99 ll, and if there are to be delays in the Japanese market there will almost certainly be delays in the rest of the world. The a99 ll is due to be priced at ¥388,880/$ 3200/£3000/€3500. For more information see the Sony website.

Indian Dilish Parekh has once again beaten his own world record for having the largest camera collection, with his personal museum now housing 4500 exhibits. In August 2013 DP Review reported that he had 4425 cameras, but in the intervening three years he has grown his hoard by 75 more models.

Filmmaker Dheerankur Upasak visited Dilish, who has held the Guinness Book of World Records title since 2003, at his home in Mumbai to make a short about the man and some of the models in his collection. Dilish says that he started collecting in 1970 when his grandfather gave him cameras as gifts – and things went from there. He never spends more than $ 15 on a camera, but has still managed to accumulate quite a number of rare and expensive bodies, such as the Leica Reporter GG 250. Only 950 were made and one sold with a motor drive at the ‘100 Years of Leica’ Westlicht auction for €576,000 in 2014.

The collection spans only the years between 1890 and 1960 and includes all of Canon’s rangefinder models. Dilish isn’t for selling the collection, though he says he gets lots of offers, and he has instructed his sons not to sell once he passes away.